Thursday, April 28, 2011

Food for Thought

Good morning! It's Thursday already. This week has flown by! Which is why I wanted to share some food for thought with you...

People who suffer from anxiety, like I do, often don't live IN the moment. We're always worried about what happened in our past (and dwell on it) or what's going to happen in our future (and plan, re-plan, and plan again). I am guilty of doing both...and I'll be the first to admit it. But you see, if you really think about it, all we have is NOW. We don't have last year, we don't have next year. All we have is NOW. What we do, in this moment, right NOW, is all that matters. The choices we make NOW is what affect our future, or what helps us learn from our past. Think of being PRESENT. Is it called being PRESENT because it's a gift?

To assist me in being PRESENT, I'm starting with my eating. I don't understand why so many of us SCARF down our food. Are we going to be chased by a bear, so we better eat quick to get out of harm's way? No, probably not. If we take the time to be MINDFUL, we will most likely make better food choices, give our system time to digest, and maybe even eat a bit less! Take time to enjoy your food, and don't make it a mindless activity. We ALL need a break during the day- enjoy it!

I was watching Eat Pray Love while I was sick this weekend. (good movie, by the way) It was interesting to see Juila Roberts go to these different countries to see how everyone lived so differently. One scene in particular was talking about why American's just worked all the time and really didn't know how to play... but the Italian's know how to play!! So while she was in Italy, she started really ENJOYING a meal (or two...or three). She was 'getting it'. She was learning how to be present and enjoy the moment. (enter lightbulb going off in my head...)

So, being mindful while you eat is one way to be present, but certainly not the only way. Maybe give it a try today. It doesn't have to be for every meal- just try one! Time flies. Slow down! Remember, the PRESENT is a GIFT. Enjoy it.